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usps The US Postal Service Adds More to their EV Future
G. David Felt posted an article in Electric Vehicles
United States Postal Service (USPS) has taken an interesting road to updating their fleet of mail delivery vehicles. Lets start with March 24th, 2022 the USPS signs a contract with OshKosh Defense to the tune of $2.98 billion dollars for 50,000 mail trucks and 10,019 are to be EV. These new trucks are to replace the very aged fleet that is currently running on empty and lack many modern conveniences. The LLV or Long-Life Delivery Vehicles lacked many things from AC to a wide variety of safety items and on top were not very efficient for actually delivering mail on top of the fact that the 190,000-vehicle fleet has an average age of 30 years. In comparison, the NGDV or Next Generation Delivery Vehicle will feature air conditioning, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front-and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher mail and package volumes. The NGDV were supposed to be built and on the streets starting the end of 2023 but have since been pushed back to a June 30th, 2024. The electric version will follow some time in 2025. USPS on December 20th, 2022, updated the NGDV to be a contract of 60,000 mail delivery vehicles with a minimum requirement of 45,000 to be EV and the rest to be ICE (internal combustion engine) or gas powered for rural routes. At this same time, USPS indicated that they are now focused on replacing not only the 190,000 mail delivery trucks but will also replace their large parcel delivery vans also bringing the total to 220,000 vehicles as congress had approved an additional $3 billion dollars to make the fleet green provided as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. With delivery to 163 million addresses six days per week, the fleet of mail and packages delivery autos are now costing far more money to run than replacing them with modern autos. The bulk of these delivery autos on average only cover 10 to 15 miles a day. March 1st, 2023, USPS selected Ford Motor Company's E-Transit vans to replace aging parcel vans. Ford will deliver 9,250 electric vans starting in 2024. Ford will build the needed infrastructure at their Kansas City Assembly Plant to build by their UAW workforce these vans. We move forward to January 22nd, 2024, and USPS with Ford announce the first delivery of E-Transit vans for use in their Atlanta Sorting and delivery center with the prototype OshKosh NGDV. This Atlanta center also has the first large scale charging network and is the first of 400 sorting and delivery centers across the U.S. that will be converted to support a majority EV focused auto fleet. This charging station was manufactured by Siemens and is the start of a 14,000-charging network to be installed in 2024. Siemens, Rexel/ChargePoint and Blink will be the suppliers of choice by contract to install these charging stations across the U.S. through 2028. Now lets move forward by two days, January 24th, 2024, and the USPS signs a contract with Canoo a maker of their Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle for six of their delivery vans to test against the Ford E-transit for possible inclusion in future EV auto purchases. Canoo will deliver these six EVs called the LDV 190 in Q1 2024 or by the end of March. The USPS has dedicated $40 billion dollars to the modernization of their whole fleet from the residential mail delivery vehicles to parcel delivery vans and mid to class 8 semi trucks to reduce their carbon footprint. These six vans will be used in 2024 to allow USPS to consider Canoo as a potential supplier of modern EV delivery vehicles. Per Canoo press release: “The multi-purpose platform with steer-by-wire technology and a unique low-profile suspension system allows for a readily configurable right-hand drive system while maintaining desired roll and ride stability,” said Tony Aquila, Investor, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Canoo. This is part of a committed USPS 10-year Modernization plan expected to be complete by 2034. USPS has stated that Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) will now play a critical role in helping modernize the 220,000-delivery vehicle fleet of which OshKosh will make up 60,000 plus potentially more. -
United States Postal Service (USPS) has taken an interesting road to updating their fleet of mail delivery vehicles. Lets start with March 24th, 2022 the USPS signs a contract with OshKosh Defense to the tune of $2.98 billion dollars for 50,000 mail trucks and 10,019 are to be EV. These new trucks are to replace the very aged fleet that is currently running on empty and lack many modern conveniences. The LLV or Long-Life Delivery Vehicles lacked many things from AC to a wide variety of safety items and on top were not very efficient for actually delivering mail on top of the fact that the 190,000-vehicle fleet has an average age of 30 years. In comparison, the NGDV or Next Generation Delivery Vehicle will feature air conditioning, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front-and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher mail and package volumes. The NGDV were supposed to be built and on the streets starting the end of 2023 but have since been pushed back to a June 30th, 2024. The electric version will follow some time in 2025. USPS on December 20th, 2022, updated the NGDV to be a contract of 60,000 mail delivery vehicles with a minimum requirement of 45,000 to be EV and the rest to be ICE (internal combustion engine) or gas powered for rural routes. At this same time, USPS indicated that they are now focused on replacing not only the 190,000 mail delivery trucks but will also replace their large parcel delivery vans also bringing the total to 220,000 vehicles as congress had approved an additional $3 billion dollars to make the fleet green provided as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. With delivery to 163 million addresses six days per week, the fleet of mail and packages delivery autos are now costing far more money to run than replacing them with modern autos. The bulk of these delivery autos on average only cover 10 to 15 miles a day. March 1st, 2023, USPS selected Ford Motor Company's E-Transit vans to replace aging parcel vans. Ford will deliver 9,250 electric vans starting in 2024. Ford will build the needed infrastructure at their Kansas City Assembly Plant to build by their UAW workforce these vans. We move forward to January 22nd, 2024, and USPS with Ford announce the first delivery of E-Transit vans for use in their Atlanta Sorting and delivery center with the prototype OshKosh NGDV. This Atlanta center also has the first large scale charging network and is the first of 400 sorting and delivery centers across the U.S. that will be converted to support a majority EV focused auto fleet. This charging station was manufactured by Siemens and is the start of a 14,000-charging network to be installed in 2024. Siemens, Rexel/ChargePoint and Blink will be the suppliers of choice by contract to install these charging stations across the U.S. through 2028. Now lets move forward by two days, January 24th, 2024, and the USPS signs a contract with Canoo a maker of their Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle for six of their delivery vans to test against the Ford E-transit for possible inclusion in future EV auto purchases. Canoo will deliver these six EVs called the LDV 190 in Q1 2024 or by the end of March. The USPS has dedicated $40 billion dollars to the modernization of their whole fleet from the residential mail delivery vehicles to parcel delivery vans and mid to class 8 semi trucks to reduce their carbon footprint. These six vans will be used in 2024 to allow USPS to consider Canoo as a potential supplier of modern EV delivery vehicles. Per Canoo press release: “The multi-purpose platform with steer-by-wire technology and a unique low-profile suspension system allows for a readily configurable right-hand drive system while maintaining desired roll and ride stability,” said Tony Aquila, Investor, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Canoo. This is part of a committed USPS 10-year Modernization plan expected to be complete by 2034. USPS has stated that Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) will now play a critical role in helping modernize the 220,000-delivery vehicle fleet of which OshKosh will make up 60,000 plus potentially more. View full article
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"Electric vehicles have long been hailed as a cleaner alternative to gas- and diesel-powered vehicles, but a group of German scientists claim EVs are actually worse for the environment than their fossil fuel-burning counterparts. In their study, titled, "Electric Vehicles are not a Panacea for Climate Change,” German scientists Christoph Buchal, Hans-Dieter Karl and Hans-Werner Sinn claim that electric vehicles are responsible for 11-28 percent more CO2 emissions than their diesel-powered counterparts. The scientists' findings are based on the entire EV production process, as well as Germany's current energy mix." LeftLaneNews
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House GOP's Tax Plan Will Scrap Electric Vehicle Credit
William Maley posted an article in Electric Vehicles
One key selling point automakers have been using to move electric vehicles is the federal tax credit of up to $7,500. But a new tax cut bill being proposed by House Republicans could eliminate that credit. The bill announced today includes a provision of eliminating the credit after the 2017 tax year if the bill goes into law. The credits are important as it helps level the playing field between internal combustion engines and EVs. Currently, the credit will begin to phase out once an auto manufacturer once it sells 200,000 EVs or plug-in hybrids. Bloomberg reports that Tesla would be the first automaker to reach the limit, followed by GM and Nissan. If that tax credit is eliminated, automakers worry they would experience a plunge in sales. “The credits matter a lot. In states without EV mandates or incentives, you’ll see sales crater,” said Eric Noble, president of the CarLab. Bloomberg cites the example of Georgia which cut its $5,000 electric vehicle tax credit back in 2015. Sales tumbled from 1,400 to just fewer than 100. Automakers are spending a lot of money and time in lobbying to make sure the credit is renewed partly due to new mandates being placed by California and a number of other states saying a certain percentage of new cars sold have to EVs. "The potential elimination of the federal electric vehicle tax credit will impact the choices of prospective buyers and make the electric vehicle mandate in 10 states — about a third of the market — even more difficult to meet," said Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing various automakers such as GM and Toyota. Source: Bloomberg, Reuters- 113 comments
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One key selling point automakers have been using to move electric vehicles is the federal tax credit of up to $7,500. But a new tax cut bill being proposed by House Republicans could eliminate that credit. The bill announced today includes a provision of eliminating the credit after the 2017 tax year if the bill goes into law. The credits are important as it helps level the playing field between internal combustion engines and EVs. Currently, the credit will begin to phase out once an auto manufacturer once it sells 200,000 EVs or plug-in hybrids. Bloomberg reports that Tesla would be the first automaker to reach the limit, followed by GM and Nissan. If that tax credit is eliminated, automakers worry they would experience a plunge in sales. “The credits matter a lot. In states without EV mandates or incentives, you’ll see sales crater,” said Eric Noble, president of the CarLab. Bloomberg cites the example of Georgia which cut its $5,000 electric vehicle tax credit back in 2015. Sales tumbled from 1,400 to just fewer than 100. Automakers are spending a lot of money and time in lobbying to make sure the credit is renewed partly due to new mandates being placed by California and a number of other states saying a certain percentage of new cars sold have to EVs. "The potential elimination of the federal electric vehicle tax credit will impact the choices of prospective buyers and make the electric vehicle mandate in 10 states — about a third of the market — even more difficult to meet," said Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing various automakers such as GM and Toyota. Source: Bloomberg, Reuters View full article
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Rumorpile: Mercedes-Benz Plans Four New EVs By 2020
William Maley posted an article in Mercedes Benz
Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to launch four new electric vehicles - two sedans and two SUVs - by 2020. Autocar reports that the German brand is accelerating plans after the German government announced that it would be offering subsidies on all EVs priced less than €60,000 (about $66,900) to spur sales. The outgoing R&D boss at Mercedes-Benz, Thomas Weber has put these plans into motion and hinted that the electric models will share links with standard models. This means the sedans will have a connection to the C and S-Class, while the SUVs will share bits from the GLA and GLC. Sources tell Autocar that the designs share the basic elements with the gas-powered models, but will have their own touches to make them recognizable as EVs. In terms of platforms, the two sedans and GLC-sized model will use a new one known as MEA (Modular Electric Architecture). MEA allows Mercedes to offer an electric vehicle with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive in combination with three electric motors. The GLA-sized model will utilize the same platform that underpins the B-Class Electric Drive. As for power, Mercedes' r&d is working on a range of electric motors producing 75 to 400kW (101 to 536 horsepower). Batteries will come from Accumotive that will provide a minimum range of 250 miles. Source: Autocar -
Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to launch four new electric vehicles - two sedans and two SUVs - by 2020. Autocar reports that the German brand is accelerating plans after the German government announced that it would be offering subsidies on all EVs priced less than €60,000 (about $66,900) to spur sales. The outgoing R&D boss at Mercedes-Benz, Thomas Weber has put these plans into motion and hinted that the electric models will share links with standard models. This means the sedans will have a connection to the C and S-Class, while the SUVs will share bits from the GLA and GLC. Sources tell Autocar that the designs share the basic elements with the gas-powered models, but will have their own touches to make them recognizable as EVs. In terms of platforms, the two sedans and GLC-sized model will use a new one known as MEA (Modular Electric Architecture). MEA allows Mercedes to offer an electric vehicle with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive in combination with three electric motors. The GLA-sized model will utilize the same platform that underpins the B-Class Electric Drive. As for power, Mercedes' r&d is working on a range of electric motors producing 75 to 400kW (101 to 536 horsepower). Batteries will come from Accumotive that will provide a minimum range of 250 miles. Source: Autocar View full article
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G. David Felt - Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.cheersandgears.com China’s Influence on GM, EVs, and Others! We saw just at the end of 2016 Toyota saying they would build a team to focus on EVs. This being a complete reversal of their pledge in 2013 to focus on Hydrogen as the practical alternative to traditional ICE autos. Toyota will have a long range EV auto out on the market for the 2020 auto year. Being that 2019 is when you're 2020 autos will start selling, this puts Toyota 4 years behind GM's Chevrolet BOLT EV. What would cause this change to happen? China is what has happened. China started to push the global auto industry by stating that 8 percent of auto sales in 2018 be each vendor has to be EV or plug-in hybrid. 10 percent is the number for 2019 and 12 percent in 2020. Toyota one would think should be fine with their Prius line of Hybrids until you realize that China has stated all hybrids such as the Prius, Volt and others built outside of China are considered ICE autos. Currently the only Hybrid being built in China that is a legal hybrid is the Cadillac CT6 plugin hybrid. Toyota is planning to start selling a plugin hybrid in China in 2018 as a 2019 model. So we are seeing that Toyota is being forced to get over their EV allergy and come up with a real plan to have a global EV on the market in 2019 as a 2020 model year. Daimler has a large EV roll out planned for the global market by 2021. VW has stated they will have multiple EVs rolled out around 2019 through 2021. So has BMW, Audi, etc. So where does that leave GM? What is GMs strategy now that China is flexing their muscle and setting some big standards for an auto company to play in their backyard? We have the Cadillac CT6 plugin hybrid. Chevrolet BOLT EV able to be exported to China. GM announced that they will start building a China market Chevrolet Volt as they start to push the Chevrolet brand in China next year. GM has also announced a Buick Velite 5 Hybrid for the Chinese market starting at 265,800 yuan or about $38,600 US. This will have a 72 mile pure electric mode before the generator kicks in giving it a 480 mile range. EVs in China are exempt from sales tax and license plate quotas. According to Fox Business news, Buick sold 1 million autos in China for calendar year 2016 rising to the number two auto brand sold behind Volkswagen. They also go onto say that Chevrolet has been selling legacy models only up till now and GM has announced 20 new models for China by 2020 the first being a China version of the Chevrolet Equinox. GM says China is demanding the same models they have in the US and as such, China and the US will be more aligned to have identical models. GMs China business is stated to have produced $2 billion in income last year. China clearly helping GM to sell 10 million cars in 2016 globally. How important is the China Market to GM? In the Month of January Cadillac sold 10,298 autos in the US. Cadillac sold 18,000 in China for the month of January. Clearly China will continue to take on a bigger and bigger role in GM’s ongoing growth. So where does that leave GM in regards to EVs, auto production, etc.? Reuters points to a story they did back in January 2016 where CEO Mary Barra stated that they could build the dies used to stamp the auto parts in china for 20 to 40 percent less than in Europe or the US. Dies will start to be built and shipped out worldwide from China. Clearly this would tend to show that GM will be affected by the China market more and more. So this brings me back to my original question of what is GMs plan for their EV strategy. We have seen and heard so much about the competition and yet with GM this seems to be a black hole. Knowing that GM sold about 1.5 million auto’s last year in China and now for next year 10 percent will have to be EV / Plugin Hybrids, that means 150,000 of these auto’s. For Volkswagen, this is an even bigger number since they are number 1 in the market and have no EV or hybrid that I am aware of. All Auto companies who do not have a specific plugin hybrid built in china or EV to import into China is going to find selling auto’s to be very difficult. References Reuters story AP story Fox Business Story CNN Money Story Motley Fool Story Reuters 2016 story
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Tesla Reports First Profit after 12 Quarterly Losses! Surprise, Surprise, Tesla posts a $22 million profit for it's latest quarter. How did Tesla do this? Wall Street Story WSJ reports that Tesla reports the following numbers: Selling pollution tax credits to other auto makers. Gross profit from the credits soared to $139 million from $39 million a year ago. Revenue is up to $2.3 billion from $936.8 million a year earlier. Tesla said it generated free cash flow, repaid $600 million in debt and finished September with $3.1 billion in cash, a decline of $162 million from the end of June. Tesla also lowered its forecast for capital spending this year to $1.8 billion from $2.25 billion. About $1 billion of that spending could occur in the fourth quarter, it said. Shares were up 5% to $212.05 in after-hours trading on Wednesday. WSJ says this has been helped by Tesla's newest Model S version that starts now at $66,000 which contributed greatly to their bottom line as the Q3 was the first full quarter of Entry level Model S sales. Barclays auto analysts has stated that Tesla will need $2.5 billion through the end of 2017 for the Model 3 rollout and completion of the battery factory. WSJ Web Page Story
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As strict emission standards are coming into effect, Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) is looking forward and considering their options as to how to do performance vehicles in the future. Speaking with CarAdvice, Jaguar’s director of public relations Richard Agnew said SVO will turning its focus to other, smaller engines in the near future. “We can’t possibly say that SVO has to be V8, with the way the world is changing and also the way engine technology is changing as well,” said Agnew. “Who would’ve thought that 400 horsepower [298kW] out of a four cylinder is possible? So it doesn’t have to be a V8. What it needs to be, though, is have enough over the derivative below it so it does have the credentials to wear the SVR badge.” A number of manufacturers such as BMW have dropped V8 engines in some of their vehicles to make way for turbo six-cylinders, Mercedes' AMG division show that V8s still have a place and hints at a possible direction for future SVR vehicles. “You see AMG designing a new V8 and I think you look at the C-Class AMG and versus the [bMW] M and I think they would disappointed they went to a six and AMG have 100hp on them… that new [Mercedes] V8 they’ve got is a state-of-the-art biturbo with super-low emissions, it’s a great engine,” said Agnew. But Agnew admits that SVO could look into electrification for future models. "We stated we are going to have an electric car. One thing about electric cars is that their performance is, dare I say, 'electric', and I think they are some of the game changers in terms of torque delivery and power delivery. In the future, when we have electric cars ,what will an SVR version of it be? It will be bloody quick, but it's too early to say [more]." At the moment, Jaguar only has one SVR model; the 2017 F-Type SVR Coupe and Convertible with 575 horsepower coming from a supercharged V8. Source: CarAdvice View full article
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As strict emission standards are coming into effect, Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) is looking forward and considering their options as to how to do performance vehicles in the future. Speaking with CarAdvice, Jaguar’s director of public relations Richard Agnew said SVO will turning its focus to other, smaller engines in the near future. “We can’t possibly say that SVO has to be V8, with the way the world is changing and also the way engine technology is changing as well,” said Agnew. “Who would’ve thought that 400 horsepower [298kW] out of a four cylinder is possible? So it doesn’t have to be a V8. What it needs to be, though, is have enough over the derivative below it so it does have the credentials to wear the SVR badge.” A number of manufacturers such as BMW have dropped V8 engines in some of their vehicles to make way for turbo six-cylinders, Mercedes' AMG division show that V8s still have a place and hints at a possible direction for future SVR vehicles. “You see AMG designing a new V8 and I think you look at the C-Class AMG and versus the [bMW] M and I think they would disappointed they went to a six and AMG have 100hp on them… that new [Mercedes] V8 they’ve got is a state-of-the-art biturbo with super-low emissions, it’s a great engine,” said Agnew. But Agnew admits that SVO could look into electrification for future models. "We stated we are going to have an electric car. One thing about electric cars is that their performance is, dare I say, 'electric', and I think they are some of the game changers in terms of torque delivery and power delivery. In the future, when we have electric cars ,what will an SVR version of it be? It will be bloody quick, but it's too early to say [more]." At the moment, Jaguar only has one SVR model; the 2017 F-Type SVR Coupe and Convertible with 575 horsepower coming from a supercharged V8. Source: CarAdvice -
G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com BMW's launch of the i3 and i8 meant the end of life for most of the BMW pre-production EV's that were launched in 2010. One car sharing service got 70 but the bulk of the auto's were crushed since they were tagged as pre-production and not certified for resale. Strange how we do not hear people crying out about the BMW's auto's but then maybe since BMW had their production versions ready to move these people to unlike GM with the EV1's it is getting little attention. I am sure there are still a few Teary Eyed leasers who had to return their ride but can now at least buy a more luxury golf cart version. We need to get BMW to loan one to Cheers and Gears so we can do a proper evaluation of these auto's. Per the story posted here: http://transportevolved.com/2014/05/23/history-repeats-bmw-openly-crushes-active-e-electric-car/ Original photo posted on Facebook in the Chevy VOLT forum: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203843828880189&set=gm.797427043603256&type=1&theater
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 3, 2013 The U.S. Department of Energy announced a updated strategy to promote green cars and lower the costs over the next nine years at the Washington D.C. Auto Show on Thursday. One part of the original strategy which stated a goal of having a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 has been eased off. "Whether we meet that goal in 2015 or 2016, that's less important than that we're on the right path to get many millions of these vehicles on the road," said a Department of Energy official. Auto experts say the strategy is more realistic since consumers aren't fully sold on electric vehicles due to the high cost, recharge times, and limited charging infrastructure in the U.S. The DOE is backing a new plan to promote research into lithium-ion battery tech to help lower costs. Source: Reuters William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 3, 2013 The U.S. Department of Energy announced a updated strategy to promote green cars and lower the costs over the next nine years at the Washington D.C. Auto Show on Thursday. One part of the original strategy which stated a goal of having a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 has been eased off. "Whether we meet that goal in 2015 or 2016, that's less important than that we're on the right path to get many millions of these vehicles on the road," said a Department of Energy official. Auto experts say the strategy is more realistic since consumers aren't fully sold on electric vehicles due to the high cost, recharge times, and limited charging infrastructure in the U.S. The DOE is backing a new plan to promote research into lithium-ion battery tech to help lower costs. Source: Reuters William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.
